The present invention relates generally to a stump cutting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a self-propelled stump cutting device including a forwardly projecting cutter assembly controlled by a rear mounted pivoted handle assembly.
In the prior art a variety of attempts have been formulated for removing or cutting stumps. All prior art attempts known to me share various common elements. For example, most devices include some form of elongated, rigid frame which is supported above ground by two or more wheels. Some form of rotatable, cutter blade is employed to engage the stump to be removed. Many of the prior art devices are extremely heavy and complicated. For example, it is known to provide cutter assembly actuation by remote hydraulically operated linkage, which, in response to operator movement of suitable hydraulic valves, moves the cutter into or out of engagement with the stump to be removed. Other designs disclose stump cutters which are essentially manually controlled and moved about by the operator. The most common prior art devices of the latter nature include a cutter wheel assembly disposed generally toward the rear of the apparatus adjacent the control handles. In the latter case the cutter wheel is lowered into engagement with the stump to be removed simply by lowering the handles of the device. In other words in such devices the cutter wheel is pivoted with respect to the axle of the support wheels.
Manual, one man stump cutters may include a front mounted cutter wheel which is pivoted downwardly into engagement with the stump by lifting up on rear handles. A safety advantage of such designs is that the operator is positioned further from the cutter wheel. However, a disadvantage is that the operator must lift upwardly on the rear handles to engage the stump by using his arms and chest muscles. In the repetitive applications required in operating stump cutters, I have found that operator fatigue is minimized when use of arm and chest muscles is limited to a downward or pushing direction, rather than to an upward or lifting direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,914 discloses a one man stump cutter which includes a downwardly projecting cutter wheel disposed between the front support wheels and the rear handles. The latter patent is similar to my U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,112 issued Mar. 3, 1964. In the patent I disclosed a one man stump cutter in which a motor is disposed upon an elongaged frame between front mounted wheels and a rear mounted stump cutter assembly.
Carlton U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,958 issued Aug. 22, 1967 discloses a one man machine in which a front mounted cutter wheel assembly is moved downwardly into engagement with a stump when an operator lifts up on the rear mounted handles. The drive wheels of the device provide the pivot point. Other examples of "front mounted" cutter assemblies may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,271,879; 3,568,740; 4,074,447; Re. 28,651; and 3,625,267. Some of the latter devices disclose stump cutting machines in which a variety of hydraulic and other complex linkages are provided for controlling the rotating cutter blade assembly. However, a significant disadvantage with some of these machines is that they must be towed into operation by some form of tractor, truck or the like.